printer unstable

got a epson stylus c82 printer to run with Mepis2.4.22.
printer install routine works fine. every time.
every 4th or fifth shutdown results in "goodbye" to the printer.
for example, in "OpenOffice1.1.0", when "print" is clicked, nothing happens
except a flashed mssg box too quick to read.
my solution is a fresh setup of printer using Settings->ControlCenter->Printers.
but this has happened 12 times in 2 months.
? any ideas